Now and Then
by Jini
Summary: Away on a mission, Naruto reflects on life with a certain someone. NaruSaku. Rated M for some mature content.


Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me.

Summary: Away on a mission, Naruto reflects on life with a certain someone.

Author's note: Okay… I had an idea and then I ran with it. Then it grew into this. Beware of the major dosage of fluff ahead. And I mean major. This was somewhat inspired by Shippuden 45. The show has been somewhat boring so far, but 45 was the definitely the best NaruSaku-induced episode ever!

As usual, flames are not allowed, but I will accept constructive criticism. Other than that, please enjoy.

* * *

**Now and Then **

Naruto was tired.

For once in his twenty-seven years of living, he was actually tired.

In a span of two to almost three weeks, he had traveled everywhere; from the large villages of Lightning Country to the tiny islands of Water Country. The whole point of his travels was to discuss peace treaties with the neighboring countries and widen Konoha's spread of allies, and as such he was required to attend – at least, that was what Naruto kept telling himself each time he stepped into yet another boardroom.

And on every occasion, not even a couple hours into the meeting, he'd always find himself wishing to get out. It was not the discussions that he found tedious – even though they sometimes were. It was just the environment. It was dead. Naruto didn't mind seriousness when it was required, but he wasn't a fan of the traditional seriousness that bordered on juts plain dreariness.

The board rooms were all stuffy and old, not to mention the men he had to spend all day with were grouchy and near prehistoric. They were constantly complaining, either about his bureaucracy skills – or rather his "lack of" more like – or about him in general being too young to run a country all on his own and that Tsunade was in over her head when she appointed him Hokage. Some even had the nerve to say they didn't think it was _wise_ (or safe) for a Jinchuuriki to even _be_ Hokage.

As much as it was difficult for him not to say something in his defense (which could very cost him an ally), Naruto took the verbal abuse without objection. After all, no one ever said being Hokage would be easy. He may have earned the title that practically commanded respect, but he knew there was no way the prejudices would stop there.

However, he was tired of being away from home for so long. He was _ready_ to come home. There were so many things he missed while being absent for three whole weeks, such as… ramen, hanging out with Iruka, arguing with Sasuke and training with Kakashi.

He missed his house with the bed that creaked endlessly when you sat on it, he missed the shingles hanging out his bedroom window; he missed the smell of old book reports piled onto his desk and that dark, leather chair in his office that he could just sink back into. He missed everything about home. Heck, he missed even Tsunade-obaachan and she was the one who made certain he cooperated in the first place.

But most of all, he missed… _her_.

Naruto smiled with a mixture of fondness and longing, as he remembered the eve of his departure.

_They were both standing side-by-side by the entrance gates. The rest of his team was waiting for him a few ways ahead. _

_Turning to face him, she moved her hands up his chest to the front of his white coat as he brought his own arms to encircle her waist. _

"_Be safe," she said quietly, as she adjusted the collar just a bit. "And don't do anything stupid while you're there, Naruto," she added warningly. "Otherwise I'll be very crossed with you."_

_He laughed and ruffled the back of his head. _

"_I'll try," he said, teasingly, eyes twinkling. When she gave him a look, he amended, "Okay fine. I won't do anything _that_ stupid, okay? That's the least I can promise; there are no guarantees." He granted her a mischievous little smile. _

_She rolled her eyes. "Baka," she murmured, with a shake of her head. She snaked her arms around his neck and he responded by pulling her closer, cushioning the tip of his forehead lightly against hers. "What ever are you going to do without me?" _

_He smirked. "Good question. I don't know," he said and she laughed softly. _

_He loved her laugh. When she did, her shoulders shook and her entire face lit up. The sight was beautiful and he loved it. Seeing her smile always brought his spirits back in good health because he contented knowing the fact that she was happy. _

_His own smile faded a little as he remembered he would be going away for three weeks, maybe even four, and he would not be able to see or hear her laugh until he came back. _

_He sighed. "I could still get a replacement," he said, staring into her green, green eyes. "I don't have to go. I can stay here with you if you want." _

_He _really_ didn't want to go anymore. These next three weeks were going to be so troublesome, he thought. Great. I'm turning into Shikamaru now. _

_Her lips curled upward at this. "You know you can't," she said, and there was a hint of remorse in her voice. However, it wasn't there for too long as she added, jokingly, "Besides you can't get out of this one that easily, Hokage-sama." _

"_Ugh, fine," Naruto grumbled, pretending this was some big loss. "But I'm doing this only because _you_ think its best, alright?"_

"_Of course!" she said in play. "What good is the all powerful Rokudaime without his wife to point him in the right direction?" She gave him a sassy smile. _

"_There's that spark I've been looking for," he murmured, just before he kissed her. _

_She was quick to respond. Her fingers pressing urgently into his hair and against his neck as his mouth delved further and deeper and more desperately as the seconds between them continued to tick away. Finally, for what felt like forever, they parted, slightly out of breath from the fierceness of their kiss. _

_He still hadn't let her go and he could tell from the position of the sun in the horizon that it was almost time for him and his team to set off. However, he just could not bring himself to, at least not yet. His blue eyes roamed over her face in such detail, trying to carve the image of her lips, her skin, her hair, her eyes all into his mind as much as he could. _

"_I love you," he said, pecking her lips repeatedly and again. _

"_I love you too," she said, opening her eyes. She looked back at the gates. "You better get going. You don't want to be late for that meeting in Suna, do you. Gaara's not a patient man, even if you _are_ good friends."_

"_I know, I know," he replied hastily. It wasn't too long before he was staring at her lips again, and he couldn't help himself as he yanked her back and muttered, "Just one more."_

"_Naruto," she half-whined, half-laughed, but responded just the same. _

_When he finally pulled away, he was grinning from ear to ear. _

"_See you in three weeks," he said. Then bending low so that he was at eye-level with her belly, he said, "And you," he placed a hand over her protruding stomach, "you behave for mommy while I'm gone, 'kay?" _

_He felt a gentle kick against his palm and he laughed. _

"_That's my boy," he said, kissing the top. _

_As he stood up again, his wife was smiling teary-eyed at him. "I'm going to miss you," she sniffed. _

_He chuckled. "I'll be back in no time," he assured her, pecking her one last time on the forehead before walking off to join the rest of his team. _

_As he walked down the path, once or twice he would look back again towards the entrance gates. She was still there, waving at him goodbye, and she did this until he could no longer see her figure in the distance. _

Naruto knew that by accepting the mission it would be difficult for him to part from her and he _was _almost tempted to send someone else in his replacement.

"_Don't be silly," she said when he had voiced his concerns. "You're the Hokage. Who better to go than you?" _

"_I know, I know, but I still don't like the idea of just suddenly leaving you," he reasoned with his wife gently, "Especially when you could be due any time soon…" _

"_I'll be fine," she said, staring at him pointedly. "I can take care of myself, Naruto. And Sasuke isn't too far away if I ever need any help."_

_He sighed and leaned into his armchair. "I know you can," he said calmly, thinking back to all those times she had saved his life with that amazing strength of hers – he'd dropped the term 'monstrous' when she had once threatened to use it on him next if he should continue call her that. _

"_And I have no doubt Sasuke will be here in a heartbeat," he went on, "but that doesn't make me worry about you any less, you know?" He gazed into her eyes. "Sakura, what if something happens and I'm not here to…" _

_She placed a hand against his cheek, stopping his current flow of thoughts. _

"_This is why I love you so much," she murmured, jade eyes staring at him tenderly. _

_He took her hand in his own and pressed a kiss over her fingers. "I know," he said softly, "I love you too." _

_After a brief moment, he tugged on her hand to pull her closer to him. _

_She smiled and slid onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck in a loving embrace as he tucked her legs over his own and slung an arm from behind her waist. She buried her face into the crook of his neck with a sigh of content. _

_He loved holding her. She fit so perfectly in his arms, as though she was made for them. _

_She was his greatest comfort and relief during the nights he would come home exhausted and tense from such a long, stressful day at work. All he had to do is hold her, bury his face into her neck and smell that sweet scent of strawberries he loved so much – and it would be like every worry, every strenuous bone in his entire body would just suddenly vanish without a trace. _

"_I… I could get Kakashi to go for me so that I can stay here with you," he suggested after a while. "That is if you want me to." _

_She shook her head beneath his chin. "No, you should go. You're the best for the job –you were not made Hokage for nothing, you know. And besides Tsunade-shishou will kill you if you don't," she joked, looking up to stare into his deep cerulean eyes, only to see that he did not share in her humor, not this time. _

_He was still hesitant to leave her, and it was clearly eating away at him, but, like always, Sakura had a way of assuring him. _

_Pecking him lightly on the lips, she laughed, "Oh, Naruto, I'll be fine, seriously! We both will," she added, placing an affectionate hand over her rounding belly. _

_Instinct took over him instantly as she did this and he placed his own hand over hers. He could feel the warmth of life radiating from his fingertips and he was once again unable to contain by how extremely happy and excited he was that this was actually happening. _

_Ever since she had told him the news, he had taken the habit of touching her stomach and lately this became more and more frequent – not that she minded, of course. He just could not believe it. He felt overjoyed, no… more that that possibly. He doubt there would ever be a word to describe just how happy he was. _

_He found that he rather enjoyed placing his ear by her stomach and hearing the tiny beating of a heart resounding back at him. He would do this even before she had begun to show obvious signs of being pregnant. _

"Oh, honey," she had told him with a soft laugh when he had done it the first time, although at that time her stomach was still as flat as a board. "You won't be able to hear anything for another few months."

"I know," he admitted and looked up to meet her green eyes filled with affectionate amusement. "I guess I'm just excited. I've always wanted a family of my own…"

His wife's expression softened at this.

"You'll be an amazing father, Naruto," she whispered, stroking his cheek gently.

"You think so?" he murmured.

Although having a family was something he had always dreamt about, even as a boy, he still had some qualms as to whether or not he would be a good father; not having one of his own to help raise and guide him, he was afraid he would not be able to meet the expectations of parenthood. He wanted to be the best for his child, but at the same time, he did not want to fail him either.

Sakura's hand moved to touch his hair; soothing his fears away. She always did have that effect on him.

"I _know_ so."

He rested his head against her stomach again and closed his eyes; while he could not hear anything yet, he could still imagine the gentle rhythm of a heartbeat soon to come.

_A sudden, hard kick brought him back to the present. _

"_See?" said his wife, laughing, at his mild look of surprise. "Even your son thinks you should go too." She looked back down at her stomach again. "Isn't that right, sweetie? Don't you think daddy should go, hmm?" _

_They both received another kick in reply. _

_Naruto laughed and snaked his arms around her again. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll go," and then gazing down at her stomach again, he added," Traitor." _

_The pink-haired woman giggled and turned her head to look at him over her shoulders. Her green eyes were twinkling in clear indication that she was truly happy. _

"_I love you," she said. _

_He thought his heart would burst. He did not think he could possibly get tired of ever hearing her say that. He did not think there would ever be a time when _he'd_ get tired of telling her either. _

"_I love you too," he said, leaning in to kiss her. She reached to the side of his face to deepen the kiss. Weaved his fingers with her own against the bulge of her stomach, he murmured against her lips, "Both of you. You two are my entire world…" _

That had been three weeks ago, and it felt like forever since he sat in that same exact loft with his wife, simply holding her until the sun went down. Sometimes it felt like a lifetime.

However, during his spare time (usually on the break between meetings), he would write a letter back to Konoha and then lay down on the bed and read some of the earlier ones she had sent him in return.

_Dearest Naruto, _

_I got your last letter from Tsunade yesterday. I'm doing fine, everything is okay. I've just been keeping myself busy at the hospital while you're away – of course, not anything too strenuous; I know how you worry. _

_The little one is okay too; he's just so full of energy lately – I can already tell we have ourselves handful. He's not even out yet and already he's acting a lot like his daddy, such a trouble-maker! He's kicking a lot more than usual too. It gets hard to sleep sometimes, but I take comfort knowing that I'm not so alone. I think he just misses you that's all. We both do. I think he can tell it's not you every time I rub my stomach. _

_By the way, Sasuke, Sai, Kakashi and Yamato all came over for dinner a couple nights ago. We talked a lot about our earlier days as Team 7. We had such a laugh at how young and childish we all were back then. I miss those old days, don't you? It was a lot carefree then, not that I don't enjoy my life now. I do and I am more than happy than I was when I was twelve. _

_And you know, I'm starting to suspect Sasuke's seeing someone – he hasn't mentioned anything to me yet, but I can tell. He's always changing the subject every time I hint at it! I have the slight suspicion it may be Hinata. Don't tell him I told you this though! He's had enough teasing from Sai as it is, especially since old habits die hard whereas Sai is concerned. You know good ol' Sai. _

_Anyways, they told me to give you their regards and hope that everything is going alright and to come home soon. From your previous letter, you sounded a bit annoyed. Are the meetings as bad as you say? Well, it's just for a little while longer and then you can say goodbye to all those smelly, old geezers!_

_I miss you Naruto. I miss your hugs, you laugh, your voice, your smell, your kisses… I just miss everything about you. These past three days have been such a drag. If it weren't for our little tyke I don't know how I'll manage each day without you and it's only the first week! _

_Well, come home soon, my love, we'll both be waiting for you. _

_I love you. _

_Sakura _

_Ps. Say hi to Gaara for me! _

He would laugh, cry (but only a little) and get lost in memories as Sakura would tell him countless for his enjoyment, especially when she spoke of their son – he always loved hearing about him as he wasn't there to experience the moment for himself. And the best part of it was in every letter she never failed to mention how much she missed and loved him and that she was looking forward to his return as much as he was. And for a while now, knowing that much would be enough to get him through another long day.

It was only during the particularly longer board meetings when he would sometimes drift off again and think about her. If Sakura were with him now, she would have probably scolded him for not paying enough attention. After all, these meetings were important for Konoha's growing prosperity and as its head-ruler, he had to be aware of what was going on and what was being said. Nevertheless, he could not help it.

Apart from the meetings being dull and uninteresting half the time and the company itself not being particularly enjoyable either, how could he not sit back and reminisce about her – when she was the centre of his thoughts since the very beginning?

Naruto snickered as he recalled a particular memory from a few years ago. It was sometime after he had first been appointed Hokage, and he was typically slacking off at paper duty even just three weeks into his new title.

"_Naruto," said Sakura with her arms crossed over her chest, looking every bit as annoyed as she sounded, "you have all these reports to read and sign by tomorrow and you haven't even started yet?" _

_He had been leaning back on his chair, enjoying a short nap when she came barging through the doors, huffing from carrying _more_ papers for him to sign. Needless to say, Sakura did not take it lightly to find the newest Hokage sleeping so soundly, especially when there was a lot of work to be done. _

"_Ah, Sakura, I'm just taking a break!" he reasoned jovially, sitting upright again. "Just a _little_ break!" he added with more haste as the frown on her face fell perceptively deeper. _

"_Well, hurry up and get back to work," she said promptly. "Tsunade-shishou did not appoint you Rokudaime because she wanted you to slack off, you know. If she did, she could have made Shikamaru Hokage, or Kakashi for that matter, instead of you." _

"_I know. I'm sorry," he said, feeling rightfully reprimanded. _

She sighed and shook her head. "No forget it. I didn't mean to snap at you. I can imagine being cooped up here all day must be torture for you," she said as she settled against the wall by the bookcase.

_Naruto frowned a little. He did notice a slight edge to her behavior. Sakura seemed more testy than usual today, and he knew her to be incredibly ill tempered after working long shifts at the hospital. She definitely looked tired, much more than he did from filing papers for eight hours straight. _

"_Sakura," he began, getting up and moving towards her, "you seem tense. Is there something the matter?" _

"_No, everything's fine" she said mildly. "I'm just tired, that's all. I had to do a double shift at the hospital today and now I'm exhausted. God, my neck is killing me," she grumbled, as she massaged the base of her neck. _

_Naruto, who was ready and equipped for this, went behind her and brought his hands to either side of her shoulders, kneading them gently with his thumbs. Sakura hummed a little in approval and absently leaned back against him so that her back now touched his chest. _

"_Wow," he said softly as he massaged her shoulders a little harder, "you _are _tense." _

"_Mhmm…" said Sakura, who was not really paying much attention to what he was saying by this point. He thought it would be useless to anyway and simply continued what he was doing. _

_However, as he went on with his ministrations, he gradually began to notice several, distinct patterns in her behavior. They were the kind of patterns that usually had on her back, spread out across the mattress, while she screams out his name repeatedly against his ear as he continues to move them, fast and relentlessly; sets their rhythm, until they finally fall into that blissful oblivion together. _

_As such, when he would hit a particular spot on her back, she would groan in appreciation or sigh with content and say, in that sultry whisper that has him rapt with her every want and need, "Oh, there. There. Mmm… that feels _good_."_

_She seemed lost in bliss – she made enough noises and head gestures if anything else – and it was doing horrible, horrible things to Naruto's self-control. Just the sight of her so undone, so enthralled beneath his will was exhilarating and arousing, and he'd be a liar if he didn't admit he was more than a little turned on by the fact. _

_If it was up to him, he'd have thrown her onto the desk by now and have his way with her already, but of course, he was a gentleman, and if Sakura wanted him to throw her onto the desk and have his way with her then he'd be more than happy to oblige to her every wishes. _

_In the meantime, he'd have to wait until she gave him the heads up. However – and at this he revealed a line of pearl-white teeth – that didn't mean he couldn't set the mood for them, right? He wasn't called the number one most unpredictable ninja for nothing. _

_Still massaging her, he brushed the ends of her hair from her neck, revealing one tantalizing section of neck. He feathered a kiss onto the side. Sakura hummed again and tilted her head to the side more to give him more access. He exhaled a breath of hot air against the skin, lightly grazing a trail of smoldering kisses in its wake. _

_She shivered slightly, but nonetheless, stayed completely still. Slowly, he brought a hand to the strap of her sleeveless top and slid it down one shoulder. His fingers shook a little as his hand moved down her arm, gently tracing the soft feel of skin beneath his palm. Naruto then moved his lips to kiss the side of neck again and then her shoulder. _

_Sakura sighed and leaned back against him. _

"_I never knew this was part of the treatment," she replied tersely over her shoulder. _

_Naruto smirked. "That's what's so great about it," he told her huskily, kissing her skin for emphasis. "You don't know what you'll get, whether a massage or something more…" He moved his hands to undo the zipper of her shirt. _

"_Naruto," she warned, pulling away a little. "I didn't come here for _that_. I came here to tell you to get off your lazy ass and get back to work."_

"_But this is work, Sakura-chan," he said as he backed her against the desk. _

_There was a glint in his eyes, feral and burning, and it allowed her to see every bit of his intentions he had towards her. He put his arms on either side of her so she couldn't escape and leaned in so close that their faces were merely an inch from each others. _

"_The art of seduction takes a lot of effort," he said simply, staring straight into her green eyes. From the look on Sakura's face, she was becoming more and more flustered by his advances by the second. He could see her restrain dwindling. "But it _does_ have its rewards," he whispered wickedly into her ear and she was suddenly clutching at the front of his shirt very tightly, her breath becoming ragged. _

_While her eyes were glazed and dreamlike, Naruto seized his chance and crushed his mouth against hers, hard, fast and desperate. It was not too long after__, he found her kissing him back, equally frantic and avid. All sense of reasoning and inhibitions were clearly gone. He knew the moment her hands came up his back, to his neck and then into his hair, where her fingers weaved themselves through the strands of gold locks, and then slowly down to the garter of his pants… that he'd finally won her over. _

_She gave a low moan into his mouth as he pulled away slightly to glimpse at the effects of his kiss. Her eyes were still glazed and unfocused, but they were harboring an intense passion, a powerful desire that was fierce and burning and demanded release. _

"_Bastard," she hissed, before yanking him by the back of his head for another fierce kiss. _

_He merely smirked in triumph, as if he knew she'd eventually give in and didn't say anymore. Exchanging kiss after kiss, soon the room began to rise at a sizzling rate; hands began to explore and wander; clothes were torn and tossed aside and papers and books were all knocked onto the floor in the wake of their heated passion. Before long, he had her pinned onto the surface of his desk, hands at either side of her head as he moved against her, coming faster, deeper, and harder with each thrust. _

"_We… we… could get into a lot of trouble for this," Sakura whispered as she held onto him tightly, moaning loudly against her ears as he picked up more speed. "We should… we should be working you know…oh… _God_."_

_Her fingers scraped at his back, more desperately this time, and her hips bucked for every plunge. _

"_Don't worry," he groaned, bringing his mouth to her neck again, getting lost in the sensations. He bit back a moan. "If they ask, we'll just tell them we were taking a break." _

Naruto chuckled. She never did get back to returning to the hospital that night and he winded up using a good part of the next morning signing last minute papers. They had agreed that such activities would be better off reserved for the bedroom, when there was a lesser chance at being caught. However, he could scarcely tick off with his fingers the number of times when they had fallen back into the usual habit of doing it in a broom closet, because, apparently, there was too much time between work and closing time for any real _alone time_.

And while he had enough experience on the subject matter, he could still vividly recall the first time he had ever made love to her.

They were eighteen. It had only been a year since they had actually stated dating and they had agreed to take things slow. They had only gone as far as making out with the occasional stray touches and grinding, but nothing beyond that.

He hadn't been counting for anything like this to happen, it just did.

Sakura had come over for dinner and she was wearing that short red skirt that he could _not_ stop staring at; they showed a lot of leg, and they were long and smooth and seemed to go on forever. He had tried not to make a habit of doing staring, but his eyes just would not stop moving towards them. Once or twice she would catch him looking, and instead of beating him to a bloody pulp she would _flaunt_ it; throwing him a smirk from over her shoulders as if to say she knew very well what it was doing to him and she loved it.

Next, they were kissing rather heatedly on the couch, and his hands would keep grazing up and down her legs. She would groan and grinded against him, sending him further into the edge, and out of control. Then they were touching and caressing each other in various places that they had not gone before.

Naruto was too absorbed by how amazing it felt that he didn't stop to think where this might be headed. All he could think about at that moment was that he didn't want this to end. One thing led to another. They were pealing off each other's clothes, disregarding wherever they landed, and blindly making their way back to his bedroom, where they later found themselves on his bed, her back flat against the mattress while he hovered over her and searched her eyes for any objections.

He could see the nervousness in those green orbs and he was certain his own apprehension mirrored in his features. He was unsure and afraid, as he did not know what to do from here. He still had a rough time believing that this may actually be happening. But he knew that if there was ever a moment in his life when he wanted her more than ever, it was now.

However, he did not want to act upon his desires without knowing first if she was ready or not. He loved her and wanted nothing more than to be with her for the rest of his life, and he would wait forever for her until she was ready. He would, because she meant that much to him.

As if she heard all his thoughts and felt all his feelings just now, Sakura brought her wobbly hand to touch the side of his face.

He trembled a little but held her gaze.

"Are you sure?" he asked, voice soft.

She snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly.

"Yes," she said, although her voice was shaky, there was conviction. She lifted her eyes to meet his and he saw the readiness, the intensity and the love – all aimed towards him in those deep green pools. She wanted to give herself, all of herself, to him; her heart, her body, her soul, everything she had… she wanted him to have.

"I want you. Only you," she replied, without breaking eye contact and he could feel himself starting shake again, but for different reasons than fear now. "Make love to me, Uzumaki Naruto. Make me yours."

With fumbling hands, he took her in his arms and kissed her; she melted against him, her hands weaving tightly into his hair as he slowly pushed them back down against the mattress.

The rest was all a haze of sensation and feeling too incredible and superfluous simply to describe. She gave herself to him completely, and he to her with unwavering trusts. She let him roam places, see places, and be privy to her every secret wish, her every need and wants and dreams that he knew no one but him would ever know.

And he fulfilled them all without thought, without question.

When they took that first plunge together, there were absolutely no words to call it. Amazing, beautiful and completely uncontained did not seem to be enough for the kind of feeling he felt.

She was fearful and anxious at first, but he assured her as he always did (even though he was just as nervous as she was); keeping his eyes on hers, their hands intertwined against the sheets, he moved for in for another kiss and all at once, everything clicked into place.

It was as though the world had suddenly stopped spinning and the only force on earth that kept luring him back was she. As they moved more freely, the initial pain and uncertainty vanishing without a trace, they set off again, faster and deeper. She clung onto him tightly and he to her. All throughout the night as they kissed, touched, and moved, he would whisper into her ear that he loved her.

_I love you. I love you. I love you._

Repeatedly and again, and each time she'd cry out, he'd hear the words being played back to him.

He had wanted her to see that he cared about her beyond comparison and that no one ever will ever come as close to how he felt about her. He knew she saw that and cried out his name, only it was different the way she said it this time. There was tenderness, a yearning so overwhelmingly beautiful, so strong, that to him it became the very centre of everything; her voice, her soul, her heart, her whole entirety became his world. That was her own way of telling him she felt the same, and that there was no one in the universe and beyond for her who could even possibly come as close as him. He saw and heard the same love in her eyes and mouth that she herself was seeing and hearing through his.

They were in their own little world, lost in only feeling and in love. Their lips crashed, both tingling and mind shattering; his hands went to touch every inch of her as they rocked together in tempo. Naruto felt her breath, hot and heavy, against his ear, murmuring sweet nothings and pleading for him not to stop. She wanted to go over the edge with him and beyond; she didn't want this to ever end. And neither did he. He kissed her firmly, passionately and with everything, he could possibly muster as he moved for one final thrust.

Then out of nowhere, he felt it – a wave of pure ecstasy coming over him and clouding his entire mind and his whole being. It was so powerful, so extreme that he didn't think he could hold on. He looked at her face and saw that she was experiencing the exact same sensation; it was stunning, captivating, a remarkable sight. Her mouth was open, gaping wordlessly into nothingness as her eyes rolled into the back of her head, her neck and back arching, taking the last of the incredible sensation alongside him. He held on to her closely, shutting his eyes tight and pressing his face into her sweet-smelling hair, which was wet and tangled in sweat against her neck, as the world around them continued on.

Naruto collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily and his heart racing wildly. She was panting a great deal as well, but when he looked down at her, she gave him a weak but tender smile. He returned it, equally as tired but equally as satisfied.

He pecked her on the forehead before rolling them over so that she was leaning against his chest and his arms were wrapped securely around her glistening shoulders. He had never felt so complete before in his life.

Sakura was breathing heavily too, but as she gazed at him again and smiled he knew at once that she was happy; truly and extremely happy.

"I love you," she said, voice tired, and she reached up and kissed him softly and languorously on his mouth.

And his heart skipped a beat.

He smiled back and kissed her deeply in return, pulling her closer to him. "I love you too…," he murmured.

He watched as she fell into blissful sleep in his arms before finally deciding to do the same. He slipped the sheets over both them, placed his arm around her and drifted off into dreamless sleep.

He knew she'd still be here when he woke up hours later. This was where they belonged after all: together.

She wasn't going anywhere, he knew.

And neither was he.

This was for the same reason why, three years later he had asked her to marry him.

He had been planning to for a while – he had even bought the engagement ring for whenever he was going to ask her – but he was not sure when would be the perfect time to pop the question, and so said ring had taken its own living space at the bottom of his pants pocket for time being.

So far, he was still living in his rundown apartment, which had now occasionally began to reduce in size as Sakura started to gradually move her things over to his place – it was hardly the perfect living condition if they were to ever start a family. Not to mention, he still had yet to become Hokage; he wanted to assure a future for both of them before thinking of going for the next big step.

He knew he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life and he didn't want to rush anything. However, the life of a shinobi was short and unpredictable; he did not want to wait too long and then regret it later – not that he would ever let anything happen to her of course. At the same time, he did not want to leave her with nothing.

They were lying on his bed and she was laughing about something Ino had told her concerning Sai. Naruto was only half-listening as she recounted the story to him; he heard snips of it here and there, but other than that he was completely focused elsewhere, such as her face, which was shining and radiant from her constant laugher. The way she threw her head back, arching her neck and her shoulders began to shake – it was all very distracting. And her lips, such a deep candy-apple red, and her green eyes, like emeralds, and her milk skin that was just as soft as every part of her that was hidden beneath clothing. He imagined what it would be like to wake up every morning like this with her as his wife.

"…And then Sai got this really blank look on his face because he didn't get it!" Sakura laughed. "Don't you think that's funny?"

"Hmm," he said, non-committed and still staring at her.

She arched one elegant brow. "Naruto, are you even listening to me?" she asked.

"Hmm?" he replied absentmindedly.

Sakura gave him an irritated look. "You weren't, were you?" she grumbled.

A little more awake now, he said with a shake of his head, "No, no, I was listening." He could tell she did not believe him, and so he hastened to add, "Really, I did."

"Alright," she said, a little more challengingly now. "Then what did I just say?"

Automatically, he drew a blank. "Uhhh…"

She scowled. "See?" she said, angry again. "All that time I was babbling like some great big idiot and you aren't even paying attention. Ugh, just forget it, I'm going—"

"C'mon, Sakura, don't be like that," he said, grabbing her by the hand to pull her back.

She only huffed and yanked her arm from his grip.

"Why shouldn't I? You didn't listen to what I had to say and you just suddenly expect me to listen to you?" she demanded as she got off the bed.

"Yes," he said calmly, getting up also and following her towards the door, "I do."

Growing more incensed by this, she whirled on him with a glare that could shatter glass in a single second. She looked ready to punch him too, and it was that, for sure, he knew could easily end him up in pieces.

"Oh and why is that?" she snapped.

"Because…" he began quietly, "…because I want you to marry me, that's why."

Silence.

But inwardly, Naruto's ears were ringing and his heart was beating a million miles per second.

All the anger on Sakura's face flickered and died and instead she looked shocked and pale, her eyes wide, and her mouth agape – as though she could not believe what she had just heard right now. Naruto had a harder time believing he had actually _said_ it.

"You want me to… what?" she whispered disbelievingly.

The more she looked at him like that, the more nervous he continued to feel; he was a lot more anxious than he had ever been in his life. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he got down on one knee and took out the velvet box that had been resting in his pockets for many, many months now. He barely heard her gasp when he opened it, revealing a diamond cut with a beautiful, glittering silver hoop.

"Haruno Sakura," he said, raising his eyes to meet hers, as he held out the ring to her, "w-will you marry me?"

It took a moment for her to react; she seemed too stunned to do anything. Naruto got up for the floor and sheepishly scratched at his whiskers; he could feel himself blushing heavily.

"Y-You know," he said, trying not to making things awkward but was failing – horribly he might add, "T-This is usually the part where you say something."

"I…I… yes," she breathed, touching her chest. Then, as if coming to her senses, she yelled out, much more happily and excited, "Yes! Yes, I will marry you!"

He felt himself breathing a sigh of relief as he shakily placed the ring through her finger. She threw her arms around his neck, nearly sending him flying back against the wall, and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. He was so happy and thrilled, that he couldn't resist twirling them around the room; Sakura held on to him, laughing and reveling in the same euphoria as he currently was in, and as he put her down and kissed her again, he thought it was possible he could be the luckiest man alive.

"I can't wait to tell Ino this!" she said with glee as she went into the kitchen to start on lunch. However, she kept stopping to admire her ring, looking racked with delirium, and in the end, they did not eat until a few hours after lunchtime had finally ended.

They had decided to wait another year before finally getting married as they discussed that they both wanted to secure themselves a good future. And it wasn't long after their marriage, a couple years later, when he became appointed Rokudaime.

They bought a complex that was close to his office as well as to the hospital so that they wouldn't have to travel too far away incase they had to spend the night work. And on occasions they had to. However, hard work had definitely paid off for them because now, within another month or so, he would be expecting the birth of his newest pride and joy: his son.

"Sakura?" he said, as they sat out in the garden together, enjoying the feel of the first days of spring.

She was already six months into her pregnancy and over the course of those first few months her appetite had taken a major turn; she was eating more (a lot more) and had ingested recipes that not even in his four years as Hokage would ever _dream_ of eating, and at such a gusto that she infrequently ever displayed. Not to mention, she sometimes had him running out hours into the night for the most bizarre things, like sardines and chocolates, ice cream with a sprinkle of soy and, his personal favorite, cup ramen mixed with spicy curry. He did not think he'd look at ramen the same way ever again after what he'd witnessed.

Her emotions were also on high as of late …or low, depending on the situation. She once went from crying and hitting him over the chest to being overly cheerful and kissing him, and all because she had she had asked him how she looked as a newly pregnant woman.

He knew, was _aware_, that this was very dangerous territory; he had Shikamaru and Neji to thank for that. So with exceeding caution one would use when trying to avoid a fatal trap, he told her she did looked different, but because she was carrying his child he found that to be very beautiful, maybe even a little sexy. Her eyes instantly watered, and she was crying onto his chest, declaring how much she did not deserve him, that he was too good for her and he responded in turn that he was the one who felt unworthy. She smiled through her tears and showered his face with kisses, murmuring how much she loved him – all this in a span of ten minutes flat.

He did not think he could ever keep up with her, however, he found he quite enjoyed this development. Sakura brought to him a completely new challenge to face, and Naruto relished in a good challenge, especially when running out at three in the morning for cereal and eggplants was only half the fun.

"Hm?" said Sakura, who was leaning against him on the grass and was close to falling asleep. That was another thing about her: she was fast to grow tired and so he often worried about her doing too much on her own, especially if it required more than the usual effort. Of course, she insisted that he not worry so much and at times got irritated with his protectiveness.

_I'm just trying to make sure you're okay_, he'd reasoned.

_I'm okay_, she would tell him. _Stop worrying about me, Naruto, honestly, as much as I appreciate it, it's getting a little annoying. _

He played with a lock of her hair. "What are we going to name him?" he asked.

She opened her eyes and tilted her head to look at him. They had talked about a lot about names for the baby when she was still only a few weeks along, however, nothing concrete or particularly striking had caught their attention as of yet. But now that the baby was to be due in another three months, Naruto thought that maybe it was time they did find a suitable name. They could not as well keep calling him tyke or little rascal, even if they were highly aware their son was a troublemaker in the making.

Absently, Sakura placed a hand over her rounding stomach and rubbed it gently.

"I don't know," she said, thoughtfully, "I haven't given it a lot of thought yet." She turned her eyes back to his and smiled. "Why, what do you have in mind for the little rascal?"

"Well," he began, chuckling," I was hoping we could name him after my father."

Sakura was more awake now. "Namikaze Minato," she said softly, while sitting up.

Naruto nodded. "He secured me a future, even though it was hard at the beginning," he explained, staring quietly at his abdomen for a moment, where the seal of the Kyuubi had not reacted for over five years. "I didn't understand a lot of things when I was young and sometimes I thought my life was always just to be hated."

She clutched his hand tightly, aware of his past sufferings and hardships.

"But without him," he continued, smiling gently at her, "I wouldn't have gotten as strong as I am today; I wouldn't have been able to save Sasuke or help restore Konoha, and most of all…" he kissed her on her temple, "I wouldn't be able to share this with you."

Sakura hummed, leaning back against him again. "Uzumaki Minato," she said as if rolling the name off her tongue. She smiled up at him adoringly. "It's perfect."

…

"Rokudaime-sama?" said a voice, startling Naruto from his reveries.

He was back in the boardroom, back with all the boring old men and the dreary discussions that seemed to borderline pointlessness. Blinking in surprised, his eyes automatically sought the clock above the wall. It was almost near the end of the meeting. Only a couple minutes left before they were dismissed. Had he been out that long? He mused as he turned to the source of the voice.

Everyone was all looking at him expectantly.

"Well, what is your decision, Naruto-sama?" said one elderly man across from him.

To be honest, Naruto did not have a clue what he was talking about. And it would do him very good to ask him to repeat the question please before answering, however, he was struck with the epiphany that this was the final meeting before he could finally go home, and his decision rested on whether or not he got to leave quicker or later depending on what he told him next. _Much later_, he thought, seeing as how he had been absent from the entirety of the two hours he was sitting here and did not hear a thing.

Then he thought about Sakura and remembered she was waiting for him, and all common sense flew out the window.

Clearing his throat, he smiled a bright sunny smile.

"I agree!" he said.

000

The travel back to Konoha proved to be much faster than the travel away from the village. And when he returned, Tsunade was at the gates there waiting for him.

"So," she said, revealing a tiny smirk, "how did the meetings go?"

Naruto shrugged. "To be honest?" he drawled. "The meetings could be described along the lines of overly-extended, dreary and pointless. And there's no way in hell I'm never doing it again."

Tsunade snorted. "Figures," she said, but she was smiling now out of amusement. "I take it you're ready to go home, Hokage-sama?"

"Why, are you offering to do my paper work for me, Obaachan?" he joked.

"Yeah right," she said, rolling her eyes. "Not even you can convince me to do all those nasty paperwork again. Sorry, kid, but you're on your own on that one."

"Aw, Obaachan, and here I thought you missed me," he said, sticking out his tongue.

Tsunade shook her head. "Although," she said, grinning, "Shizune and I did make bets to what we think may have happened."

"And?"

"She betted that you'd spend half your time being the lazy bum that you are and not pay any attention, while I gave you the benefit of the doubt and said you'd be the focused and assiduous Hokage that you are," she explained.

Naruto made a face. "Well, it's nice to know Shizune-oneechan has such high faith on my listening capabilities," he said sarcastically.

"Does that mean I was right?" said Tsunade and her eyes had actually gone wide with disbelief.

"Well, no," said Naruto, giving her a weird look.

"No?" Tsunade repeated and Naruto could see she was disappointed.

"Haha, you sound like you're surprised," said Naruto, laughing. "Of course, Shizune was right. No offense, Obaachan but I wouldn't put money on your gambling streak either."

Tsunade grumbled. "Great. I just bet a month's worth of no sake and all because I gave you the benefit of the doubt." Rolling her eyes, she muttered, "I should have known."

Naruto smirked. "Well, I'm off," he said, turning around in the opposite direction.

"Wait a minute," she said, grabbing him by the back of his coat. "You still have a lot of paperwork to sign by tomorrow. Besides, I'd like to see the reports you made while you were away."

"I'll do that later," said Naruto. He pouted a little when Tsunade gave him a stern look. "Aw, c'mon, Obaachan, I've been away for three whole weeks – at least let me see Sakura for a bit."

Tsunade sighed. "Fine, fine. You're lucky I'm in a good mood today," she relented finally. "_But_ I expect to see those reports on my desk first thing tomorrow morning. I want to make sure you didn't place our village up for auction or whatever."

Naruto stopped suddenly. "Heheh…" he said, a nervous smile spreading across his young face. He habitually rubbed at the back of his head, "Funny thing you should mention…"

Her left eye actually twitched. "What?" she growled.

"Hehe… well, never mind that now…I'm off!" he said, laughing loudly – louder than normal that was for sure.

"Naruto, what do you mean—"

"See ya tomorrow, Obaachan!"

In a puff of smoke, he was gone.

Tsunade made a face. That kid was something. Fifteen years later and he was still causing her trouble.

However, she couldn't help a tiny smile from emerging as she gazed up at the statue of the latest Hokage on the wall with something akin to fondness.

"Damn kid. I can't believe I missed you."

000

When Naruto got home, he found Sakura sitting on the little white rocking chair in the nursery room, fast asleep. The walls had been painted in blue with puffs of clouds and smiling suns, and on the ceiling were the twinkling of little stars; toys that they had bought and had been given by friends were placed neatly to the side. And across from where she sat was the crib where their child will one day be put to sleep in; the soothing lullaby played by the shingles overhead was probably what had dozed her off.

Walking further inside, he knelt down beside her and smiled. Her head was leant to one side and her hair had fallen from its bun at the back of her head. She kept a hand over her stomach, which he knew had been rubbing over the swell of her belly just hours before she fell asleep. He placed a hand over the spot just beside her hand and felt the familiar kick from his son.

"Hey buddy, I'm back," he whispered, and there was another kick again.

Sakura stirred and her brows furrowed at the feeling, but did not wake.

Naruto laughed softly. "Shh. Don't wake your mother now. I want to surprise her," he said.

He moved his hand from her stomach to stroke the side of Sakura's cheek. She hummed and leaned against his fingers, murmuring, "Naruto…" as she did.

He chuckled and made a face. _How cute_, he thought, grinning.

"Sakura," he said again, brushing a few stray locks from her face, "Sakura, wake up."

"No..." she mumbled sleepily, "too early…"

He laughed again before leaning in to kiss her lightly on the mouth. Sakura hummed again and automatically responded. She moved her head to the other side and parted her lips beneath his until finally, as if registering something for the first time, her eyes fluttered open. Such a deep, lustrous green – he missed those eyes. Resting his head against hers, he smiled.

"Hey, sleeping beauty," he teased.

More awake now, Sakura's eyes widened. "Naruto!" she said and then threw her arms around his neck to embrace him. "You're back!"

Naruto laughed and held her.

When he pulled away again, she was smiling tearfully. "I _missed_ you," she said.

"I missed you too," he said, as he took in that scent of strawberries. They felt the sudden presence of their son and he chuckled good-naturedly and rubbed the surface of her belly again. "I missed the _both_ of you."

"You must be hungry," said Sakura at once, suddenly getting up. "I'll make you something."

However, he took her hand and gently pulled her back down onto his lap. At her confused stare, he said, with a smile, "Just for a little while longer. Please."

And she understood his meaning completely and allowed him to wrap his arms around her frame and lean them back against the rocking chair. He buried his nose against the crook of her neck and sighed.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear.

Sakura she snuggled closer against him, her thin arms coming over his as they tightened themselves from around her shoulders.

"I love you too," she murmured and went silent in favor of listening to the soothing rhythm of his heart beating along hers.

This was the moment he'd been working up towards – whether it was now or then or in the distant future.

This was his life, as it should be, and he would rather spend every last bit of it just simply holding her in his arms.

-

-

End

* * *

A/N: Ahh, I finished it! Anyway, I was thinking of doing a tag-along story to this when I had the chance. Seeing as how I wasn't able to fit every moment I wanted to add with Naruto and Sakura together (i.e. their marriage, when he was appointed Hokage, when their kid is born, etc), I decided I'll write a variety of snippets spanning their life in another story. How does that sound?

As for _Hanging by a Moment_ – don't ask. I have no idea anymore what's to become of it.

Well, you know the drill. Let me know what you think! ;)


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